Durham Paternity Attorneys

Establishing Parentage. Protecting Rights. Supporting What Comes Next.

Paternity cases come with questions that hit hard: Am I legally the father? Will I have a say in my child’s life? Can I count on support if I’m raising this child alone?

Whether you’re seeking to establish paternity, challenge it, or figure out what rights and responsibilities come with it, the answers carry weight—and consequences.

At Ellis Family Law, P.L.L.C in North Carolina., we guide mothers, fathers, and guardians through every side of the process with clarity, respect, and a steady focus on the future. This isn’t just about DNA. It’s about what comes next—and how to handle it with confidence.

Ready to Talk?

Speak with a board-certified specialist.

When Paternity Is Legally Unclear, Everything Else Gets Complicated

In North Carolina, if a child is born outside of marriage, the biological father does not automatically have legal rights.

That means:

No right to custody
No right to visitation
No legal decision-making power
No obligation to pay support until paternity is established

On the other hand, if someone is incorrectly listed as the father, that person could face years of financial responsibility without a true legal or emotional connection.

Paternity isn’t just a formality. It’s the key that unlocks both rights and responsibilities.

We Help With:

Fathers seeking to establish legal rights
Mothers pursuing child support from a non-married parent
Parents looking to create or revise custody arrangements after paternity is confirmed
Clients who have been wrongly named as a child’s father
Grandparents or other relatives needing clarity in complex family dynamics
Anyone seeking a clear, court-recognized answer about parental status

As Durham paternity attorneys, we know these cases are often personal, emotional, and private. We protect your rights—and your child’s stability—with precision and discretion.

How Paternity Is Established in North Carolina

There are two main ways paternity can be established:

1. Voluntary Acknowledgment

If both parents agree, they can sign an Affidavit of Parentage—often done at the hospital or shortly after birth. This form establishes legal paternity without court involvement.

2. Court Order

If there’s disagreement or uncertainty, either party can file a legal action to establish paternity. The court may order a DNA test to determine biological connection. Once confirmed, the court can then issue orders on:

Custody and visitation
Child support
Health insurance coverage
Parental decision-making rights

We help you navigate this process step by step—whether you’re initiating it or responding to it.

Fathers: Want a Relationship With Your Child? Paternity Is Step One.

If you’re not married to your child’s mother, you don’t automatically have legal rights—even if you’re involved in their life.

Without legally established paternity—through an affidavit or court order—your rights aren’t protected and can be challenged at any time:

You can’t request custody or visitation
You have no legal say in where your child lives or goes to school
The mother isn’t required to include you in major decisions
You could be cut out of your child’s life without warning

We help fathers establish paternity quickly, legally, and respectfully—so you can stay present in your child’s life and parent from a place of strength.

Mothers: Need Support or Structure? Paternity Gives You Both.

If your child’s other parent hasn’t stepped up, or you’ve been handling everything alone, paternity may be the missing piece.

Establishing legal paternity gives you the ability to

Request child support
Add the father to your child’s birth certificate
Create formal custody or visitation agreements
Protect your child’s right to benefits, inheritance, and medical history

We help you protect your child’s needs without turning everything into a fight.

When Paternity Is Contested

Sometimes, someone is listed as the father—but doesn’t believe he is. Other times, paternity was assumed but never legally verified.

In these cases, we help you:

We understand that these cases can carry shame, stress, or uncertainty. We walk you through them with respect and resolve.

Serving Families Across Durham and the Triangle

We represent parents—married or not—across Durham, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and throughout the Triangle.

Whether your paternity issue is just beginning or needs to be resolved after years of uncertainty, we’re here to help you find clarity and move forward.

We also offer private consultations and virtual appointments for sensitive or time-sensitive matters.

Meet Your Durham Paternity Attorneys

Our board-certified specialists lead every case with strategy, care, and a commitment to your best outcome.

Autumn D. Osbourne

Partner

Board-Certified Specialist

Gray Ellis

Managing Partner

Board-Certified Specialist

Amanda C. Knight

Partner

Board-Certified Specialist

Hear From Our Clients

Top notch Divorce Lawyer who helped me through one of the darkest times of my life and enabled me to come out on the smiling side of the divorce. Kathleen’s...

Top notch Divorce Lawyer who helped me through one of the darkest times of my life and enabled me to come out on the smiling side of the divorce. Kathleen’s has a very low tolerance for the bullshit that always surrounds a divorce and focuses like a laser on what is most important, child custody and asset division IAW North Carolina 50-50 law. She is a professional and gives good advice and is the perfect person to have at the helm through the hurricane that will be your divorce! Choose her to represent you and you too will be on the smiling side of the divorce on your way to a brighter future.

Raja Seshadri

I highly recommend Eva for her legal expertise and dedication to their clients. She provided me consultation and has an understanding of my legal needs.

...

I highly recommend Eva for her legal expertise and dedication to their clients. She provided me consultation and has an understanding of my legal needs.

Juandalynn Freeman Sankey

Every interaction I’ve had with Sarah M. has been positive. She’s always helpful, professional, and kind. It’s clear she truly cares about the people she works with. I wouldn’t hesitate...

Every interaction I’ve had with Sarah M. has been positive. She’s always helpful, professional, and kind. It’s clear she truly cares about the people she works with. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.

Sherrie Pelkey

I highly recommend Shannon! I’ve worked with her in a volunteer capacity for over 18 years and have been impressed with her leadership skills along with her love of serving...

I highly recommend Shannon! I’ve worked with her in a volunteer capacity for over 18 years and have been impressed with her leadership skills along with her love of serving the community. Shannon is a stellar attorney who is dedicated to making sure her clients receive favorable outcomes.

Raina Shiffer

“Shannon Tucker was incredibly connected, knowledgeable, professional, and experienced. She had a strong understanding of the parties involved and the circumstances surrounding my case, which made a difficult situation much easier to navigate. She helped me tremendously in responding to allegations I disputed, and I felt well represented throughout the process. I’m very grateful for her guidance and would highly recommend her. Hopefully I don’t need her again, but would absolutely go back to her if I needed to.”

Chris Hooks

Separation agreement and property settlement in hand, I was referred by my marriage dissolution mediator exclusively to Ellis Family Law for obtaining an absolute divorce. From the moment I opened...

Separation agreement and property settlement in hand, I was referred by my marriage dissolution mediator exclusively to Ellis Family Law for obtaining an absolute divorce.

From the moment I opened their website, it was clear I’d be in the best of hands. Six board-certified family law attorneys were on the roster—nearly a fifth of such specialists in the entire state.

My first contact was with founder and managing partner Gray Ellis. During a cordial and comforting conversation, he determined exactly what legal services I’d need; described the process and outcomes I could expect; and after assuring me that he’d be maintaining personal oversight, assigned the attorney best-suited to my case.

Amanda Knight proved to be all I could hope for and more. With a selfless background in pro bono and legal aid services, she calmly and compassionately applied her expertise, keeping me informed every step of the way.

When the absolute divorce was finalized, her careful stewardship of my retainer had resulted in a generous refund of the trust account balance, genially facilitated by paralegal Emilee Dorantes.

Ellis Family Law has earned my gratitude and unqualified endorsement.

Bill Lenz

Your Child Deserves Clarity. So Do You.

Whether you’re trying to step up, seek support, or defend your rights, paternity is the foundation of it all. We help you establish the truth, then build a plan that protects what matters most.

Because parenthood deserves more than guesswork. It deserves legal clarity.

Visit Our Durham Office

Durham Office

Ellis Family Law, P.L.L.C.

3511 Shannon Road Suite 150 Durham, NC, 27707

Phone: (919) 373-3650

Fax: 877-678-1584

[ Additional hours TBC ]

Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5:30pm

Ex Files featuring Pour Decisions

Stay up to date on changes in North Carolina law
Get specialist legal insights to your most pressing family law questions
Access exclusive guides and resources you won’t find anywhere else

And for a fun twist: don’t miss our “Pour Decisions” section, featuring wine tips from our lawyer-wine specialist Gray Ellis!